Stapling device



July 4, 1944.

M. VOGEL STAPLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -INVENTOR MAX VUEEL.

Filed Oct. 18. 1941 ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,352,997 TA LI DEVIC Max vogel, Br dgeport 0 1 .1 1 fi e to ve-Clog Products, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn, a corpor'ation of ConnecticutApplication October 18, 1341, Serial No. 415,527

6 Claims.

e e ent i ent on e a e to m rov m n in stapling devices, particularly ofthe type adapt: ed to separate individual staples from a staple stripand drive and clinch the staples with respect to the material to bestapled. Such stapling devices may be either of the plier or desk type.t o g the d i e illu tra ed h in i of the stapling plier type, it beingunderstood that the particular features of novelty of the presentinvention are applicable to either type. In the operation of staplingdevices of this character staples sometimes become jammed in the stapledriving passage, this condition usually resulting from attempting todrive the staples through impenetrable material, and with the usualconstruction of stapling devices the interior structure is so concealedand permanently connected that it is difficult to clear the j ammedstaples, or to repair or replace the parts if they become damaged.

tapling devices have been constructed in the past in which a movablefront wall has been'provided which could be raised to enclose the-stapledriving passage, but these have been objectionable due to the fact thatthe spring pressure exerted upon the staple strip by the push shoe wouldcause the staple strip to be forceably projected from the forward end ofthe device upon pe ine f the --frcnt wall t th chance f causing ju y tthe personhan l in thedev ce. Safety catch meansihave been provided forthe purpose of preventing the ;f0I'W3l, projection .of the staple strip,but .these have been objection.- able due to .the fact that theactuating means therefor was so exposed that it could be unintentionallyoperated by touching it.

It is an'obiect of the present invention to provide a stapling devicehaving a -slidable front wall or closure member which may be readilymoved to open position to expose the forward end of the staple guide anddrive passage, in combination with automatic catch means for'preventingforward projection of the staple strip under spring pressure and forwardremoval thereof in the open position of theclosure member, and topro-vide such catch means which will yield inwardly upon insertion of atool from the forward end, so that this tool may be passed nti ely throuh the staple ui as a t m v th s a les .in a rearwar di e t on: It is afurther object to provide amovable closure member which isadapted to beautomatically I moved to its .,clos ed position upon. operation of .thestaple drivingrmeans .to ,drivefa staple to mo e the tch m chan m t itsno m 91?- eretive or nee-em gr t n Po i A further object is to providean improved con- .struction of a staple driving head in which thevarious parts are assembled in'interlockingrelation without the use ofrivets, welding or other such permanent assembling means, enabling thedevice to be readily disassembled and reassembled for the purpose ofconvenient assembly and repair or replacement of any of its parts,

Another object is to provide improved push shoe means of simple andinexpensive construction, and particularly a push shoe member formed of.a single piece of sheet metal, and a'push shoe and spring mountingguide rod and handle,

formed of a single piece of wire.

With the above and other objects in view an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment .will behereinaftermoiie fully describedwith reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fi i a s d ion a a st rl n Que according to the illustratedexemplaryembodiment of the invention.

. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. Sis an enlarged sideelevationof the Staple driving head portion ofthe stapling plier, aportion of the housing being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a front elevationof the stapling plier, partially broken away.

Fig. 5 isa yerticaltransverse sectional view, looking forwardly, takenalong the line [5+5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional plan ,view, the staple driving headbeing shown in top .plan and .the housing being shown in horizontalsection along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. ",Fig. ,7 is avertical transversesectional view, looking toward the rear, taken along the line 1-1 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a verticallongitudinal sectionalyiew taken along the line 81-5of Fig. 5 1

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the push shoe and rod, the rod being brokenaway at its intermediate .P-e t enf I Fig. 10 is a front elevation,partially broken away, showing the front wall member lin jit s raisedposition to eXposethe staple jguideland drive passages.

' Fiss a d e atio it :th 9n -1Wa em r n thereised etit on i lu tra es ini 1(), portions of the variousparts beinglbrpken WeY e e r all of lnesconstituting the receiving mouth for material to.

be stapled. The portions I3 of the side walls distance to receive thesides of the staple driver operating lever, hereinafter more fullydescribed. The pin 21 is preferably of a type having a fixed head 29 atone end and a shouldered screwthreaded stud portion 30 at its other endupon which is screwed a circular nut 3I.

Clearance slots 32-32 are provided at the forward end of the base of themember I9 at each side of the staple carrier bar being of a lengthsuflicient to permit the legs of a staple to pass through with thestaple in a, horizontal position. This prevents jamming of a staplewhich may be -inadvertently driven while in a horizontal posibelow theseslots have a U-shaped strut member I4 secured therein, preferably bymeans of welding, its transverse portion forming the lower wall of thehousing. Within the strut member there is welded or otherwise suitablysecured an anvil member I5 having at its forward end an upwardly offsetportion I6 having anvil recesses I'I formed therein, and having at itsrearward end an upwardly bent wall I8 with which the spring of the plieris adapted to be hooked, as will presently more fully appear.

The staple driving head and staple carrying guide of the plier, whichconstitutes the upper jaw for cooperating with the lower anvil jaw, isof box-like form and comprises a member I9 of U-shape in cross-sectionhaving a rearwardly extending elongated channel extension portion forreceiving the staple strip carrier bar and staple push shoe, the memberI9 which extends vertically from the forward end of the extensionportion 20 constituting the side wall portions of the staple drivinghead, between which the inner frame member is interlockingly engaged, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

Inwardly bent horizontally disposed flanges 2I2I are provided along theupper edges of the side walls of the extension portion 20 and form anupper staple strip guide or limit means for the staple strip and pushshoe, slidably mounted upon the staple carrier bar or rail 22 which issecured to the base of the member I9 and its extension portion 20,preferably by welding. This staple carrier bar 22 is of U-shape in crosssection and is closed at its forward end by means of a front wallportion 23, bent upwardly from its base portion against the forwardvertical edges of its side walls. The side walls of the staple carrierbar are inwardly spaced from the side walls of the member I9 and itsextension portion 20,

and the top edges of the side walls are spaced downwardly beneath theflanges 2I2I, thereby providing rectangular guide spaces at each side inwhich the inverted U-shaped staple strip A is guided. The forwardsurface of the front wall portion 23 is inwardly offset from the forwardedges of the member I9 a distance substantially corresponding to thethickness of the individual staples to provide a staple driving spacebetween the side walls of the member I9.

Intermediate the ends of the extension portion '20 its base istransversely slotted, as at 24, and ears 25-25 extend downwardly inflush relation with the side surfaces of the extension portion 20, theseears being provided with aligned apertures 26-26 which are engaged bythe pin 21, mounted in the sides of the housing I0 at a point near itslower edges rearwardly of the notches I2I2, the side surfaces of theextension and the ears 25-25 being spaced from the inner surfaces of thesides of the housing ID a sufficient engaged between its side walls aninverted U- shaped frame member 33, the upper transverse portion ofwhich constitutes the top wall of the head. The sides of this framemember are provided at their lower ends with inwardly bent flanges34-44, which are in line with the inwardly bent flanges 2 I2I providedat the upper edges of the side walls of the extension 20, and constitutetherewith an upper staple strip guide or limit means extending from theforward ends of the flanges 2| to the staple driving passage.

The frame member 33 is provided upon its side walls with outwardlypressed studs 35, preferably two at each side in diagonal arrangement,and Which interlockingly engage holes 36 correspondingly placed in theside walls of the member I9, these side walls of the member I9 beingadapted to be sprung apart slightly to permit the frame members to beslid into place, whereupon the studs snap into position in the holes 3%.The diagonal arrangement of the studs prevents improper assembly, as thestuds 35 will not register with the holes 35 except in the one properposition of the frame member. The frame member is rendered rigid againstcollapse of its side walls toward each other by means of a cross pin 31having its reduced shouldered ends 38 staked into apertures 39 in theside walls, this pin also providing a pivotal support for the safetylatch member, presently to bemore fully described.

' In the assembled relation of the frame member its forward edge isinwardly offset from the forward'edges of the side walls of the memberI9 to provide a guide space for the staple driver plate 40 whichslidably fits into the recessed space thus provided, with its innersurface engaging the forward edges of the frame member 33 and its sideedges engaging the inner surfaces of the side walls of the member I9.The forward surface of the staple driving plate is substantially flushwith the forward edges of the side walls of the member I9 and is engagedby the forward portion of the vertically movable closure sleeve member,presently to be more fully described, this sleeve member also enclosingthe side walls of the member I9, to prevent outward springing of theside walls and thus positively lock the frame member 33 in its assembledposition. The staple driver plate 40 is provided with a rectangular slotM in which the end of the staple'driver operating lever aiczsogioovsidewalls, the upper end of the front wall 43 having a rearwardly benttop flange portion 46 having its rear edge flush with the vertical edgesofthecut-out formation45. The side walls are provided at their rearwardedges with inwardly bent flanges 41 and 48 respectively, the flange 41being provided at its upper portion with an extension latch operatingportion 49. The upper edges of the flanges 41 and 48 are flush with theupper edges of the side walls 44-44 while the lower edges-of the flangesare upwardly spaced from the lower edges of the side walls so that inthe assembled relation upon the head the flanges clear the extensionportion 20 of the head. In the front wall 43 there is provided avertically disposed slot 59 adapt to be engaged by the end of the stapledriver operating lever, presently to be more fully described, andwhichis of suflicient length to permit of the movement of the lever inits staple driving operation. Below the slot 50 there is provided anoutwardly embossed shoulder formation for the purpose of providinganabutment for'engagement of a finger or a suitable tool to actuate theclosure sleeve member upwardly to its open position.

The closure sleeve member 42 is assembled with the head by sliding itdownwardly thereon over the assembled head member l9, frame member 33,and staple driving plate 49, the side walls 44 enclosing the side wallsof the head l9, the front wall 43 enclosing the forward edges of theside wall; l9 and the staple driving plate 40, thus constituting theforward wall of the staple driving plate passage or slide-way of thehead, and the flanges 47- and 48 extending over the rearward edges ofthe side walls of the frame 33.

In the assembled relation with the body the top flange 4E fits into arecess 52 provided in the forward edge of the top wall of the body andwhich permits the closure sleeve to be raised to its open position, asindicated in Figs. and 11, this raised position being limited byabutment of the lower end of the slot 50 with the end of the stapledriver operating lever.

. The staple driver operation lever is of sheet metal, formed and bentto shape, and comprises a lower grip handle portion 53 from which thespaced side portions 54-434 are bent upwardly in spaced relation and arethen bent inwardly, as at 55, the side portions which then extendupwardly F andforwardly being brought into contacting relation andwelded together to form a forwardly projecting arm 56 of double metalthickness. This arm: 56 is pivotally mounted within the housing l9 upona pin 5'! extending between the r side walls of the housing, this pinpreferably being of a type similar to the pin 21, including a fixed head58 at one end and a shouldered threaded stud portion 59 at its other endupon which a circular nut 69 is screwed, this construction permitting ofthe convenient assembling and disassembling of the plier. The lower edgeof the arm 56 is conveniently made of stepped formation, and the forwardreduced-height end portion is engaged with the slot 4! of the staple 1driver plate and the slot 59 of the closure sleeve member, being of aheight corresponding to the length of the slot 4| so that movement ofthe.le ver in the slot imparts movement to the plate 46 to depress andretract it.

It will be observed that the staple driver operating lever arm 56extends between the flanges 4,1 and/48 of the closure sleeve 42, andthat the extension-portion 49 of the flange 41 extends to the surface ofthe arm, for the purpose of providing an. actuating means for the safetycatch member, presently to be more fully described.

Upon pressing the handles II and 53 together the operating lever pivotsabout the pin 51 and the side portions. 54--54 thereof move slidablybetween the extension 20 and the'side walls of the housing In, beingprovided for this purpose with slots til-Ail arranged concentrically tothe axis of the pin 51 and engaged by the pin 21.

. A spring 62, coiled intermediate its ends,.has one end provided with ahook 63 hooked over the wall portion l8 of the lower jaw, its other endbeing slidably engaged with the inner surface of thehandle 53, and itscoil being disposed rearwardly of the pin 21 and pressed upwardlyagainst the under surface of the extension 20, this single spring thusexerting pressure to both press the handle153 to open; position and tonormally exert pressure upon the staple driving head and extensionportion 20 in counter-clockwise direction.

The safety catch member 64, is pivotally mounted upon the pin 31 of theframe member 33, being provided at its lower end with a rearwardlyfacing hook-shaped tooth portion 65 normally dis-, posed in the spacebetween the flanges 34-34 in spaced relation above the staple guidepassage of the bar 22, and provided at its upper rearward edge portionwith an angularly bent flange 66, the edge of this flange adapted toengage the catch operating portion 49 of the closure sleeve member, andbeing provided at its lower end with a rounded nose portion 61 whichengages the portion 49 in the normal operating position of the pliers Aspring 68 is coiled about the pin 31 and has one end engaged with aretaining lug 69 formed in one side wall. of the frame member 33 and itsother end engaged with a retaining lug 19 formed in the safety catchmember 64, this spring exerting pressure upon the safety catch member inclockwise relation to yieldably press the edge of the flange 66 againstthe portion 49. In the raised position of the closure sleevemember toexpose the forward end of the staple. guide and drive passage the safetycatch member moves in clockwise direction as the portion 49 movesupwardly along the flange 66, causing the tooth end 65 to swingdownwardly into the. staple guide passage, and thus provide a stop toprevent forward movement of the staples. The staples are thus preventedfrom being projected from the forward end of the guide passage under thepressure of the .push shoe when the closure sleeve is moved to openposition. In the open position, as shown clearly in Figs. 9. and 10, thecatch member positively prevents any forward movement of staples whichmay remain, upon the bar or rail 22 reare wardly of the catch membenandalso prevents forward movement of the push shoe, this being due to thefact that the clockwise movement of the catch member is positivelylimited by the portion 49. However, the catch member will yield incounter-clockwise direction, so that it is possible to insert a toolthrough the staple guide passages from front to rear, the tool engagingthe tooth end of the catch member projecting in the staple guide passageand swinging it clear the passage against the pressure-0f the spring 68.'As soon as the toolis withdrawn the catch memher will swing into thestaple guide passage.

The staple carrying baris provided with a push shoe ll of Iinverted-U-sha'pe in cross-section, pressed forwardly by a spring 12disposed. upon a .rod 13 slidably engaged with apair ofdownwardly'bentaperturediguide lugs Hand 15, this rod having an abutment head' 16formed upon its forward end to limit the forward movement ofthe pushshoe under the pressure of the spring, when the push shoe and rod areremoved from the plier. The transverse portion of the shoe is providedwith downwardly bent lugs 11, spaced rearwardly from the forward edge adistance corresponding to the thickness of the forward wall 23 of thestaple carrying bar, so that when the last staple of the strip has beendriven the push shoe will be prevented from entering the staple drivingpassage, the lugs abutting the inner surface of the wall 23 with theforward edge of the push shoe flush with the forward surface of thefront wall 23.

The rod 13 is provided at its rearward end with a handle portion 18 bentto shape, being in the form of a triangular loop having the inner end ofthe loop brought together and secured by welding. The extremity of therod is bent outwardly from the inner end of the loop to provide aretaining lug 18, which is adapted to be detachably latched throughrotation of the rod in a shouldered notch 80 provided in one side wallof the extension portion 20, the shoulder in this notch projectingrearwardly so that upon slight forward movement of the rod against thepressure of the spring 12 the lug will disengage from the shoulder andpermit turning movement of the rod out of engagement therewith,whereupon the push shoe may be withdrawn from the staple guide bar orrail.

In loading the device with a new staple strip the strip is inserted fromthe rear, with the push shoe removed, the push shoe being thereupon slidinto place.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appendedclaims.

' Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driverengaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retractingmovement, a closure member movably mounted on said head for opening andclosing movement to respectively open and close the forward side of saidstaple driving passage, a catch member pivotally mounted in said staplehead above said staple strip supporting means including a catch portionnormally disposed in spaced relation above the staple strip supportedupon said supporting means and adapted through pivotal movement of saidcatch member in one direction to move in an arc forwardly into blockingengagement with said strip to block the forward movement thereof towardsaid staple driving passage, and catch actuating means carried by saidmovable closure member adapted through the opening movement thereof toeffect forward movement of said catch portion of said catch member toblocking position and including a part arranged to engage said catchmember and positively block further forward movement, and said catchactuating means adapted through the closing movement of said closuremember to effect movement of said catch portion of said catch member toits normal nonblocking position.

2. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual statples of a staple strip into said passage, a stapledriver'engaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving andretracting movement, a closure member movably mounted on said head forvertical reciprocatory opening and closing movement to respectively openand close the forward side of said staple driving passage, a catchmember pivotally mounted in said staple head above said staple stripsupporting means including a catch portion normally disposed in spacedrelation above the staple strip supported upon said supporting means andadapted through pivotal movement of said catch member in one directionto move into blocking engagement with said strip to block the forwardmovement thereof toward said staple driving passage, and catch actuatingmeans carried by said movable closure member adapted through thevertical reciprocatory opening movement thereof to eifect movement ofsaid catch member to blocking position and through the closingmov-ementto effect movement of said catch member to its normal non-blockingposition.

3. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driverengaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retractingmovement, a closure member movably mounted on said head for verticalreciprocatory opening and closing movement to respectively open andclose the forward side of said staple driving passage, a catch membermovably mounted in said staple head above said staple strip supportingmeans including a catch portion normally disposed in spaced relationabove the staple strip supported upon said supporting means and adaptedthrough movement of said catch member in one direction to move intoblocking engagement with said strip to block the forward movementthereof toward said staple driving passage, spring means cooperatingwith said catch means exerting pressure thereon to move it to itsblocking position; and a catch actuating member carried by said movableclosure member and engageable with said catch member adapted through thevertical reciprocatory opening movement thereof to effect movement ofsaid catch member to blocking position and through the closing movementto effect movement of said catch member to its normal non-blockingposition.

4. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driverengaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retractingmovement, a closure member movably mounted on said head for opening andclosing movement to respectively open and close the forward side of saidstaple driving passage, a catch member movably mounted in said staplehead above said staple strip supporting means including a catch portionnormally disposed in spaced relation above the staple strip supportedupon said supporting means and adapted through movement of saidcatchmember in one direction to move in an arc forwardly into blockingengagement with said strip to block the forward movement thereof towardsaid staple driving passage,'catch actuating means carried by saidmovable closure member adapted through the opening movement thereof toeffect forward movement of said catch portion 'of said catch member toblocking position and including a part arranged to engage said catchmember and positively block further forward movement, and said catchactuating means adapted through the closing movement of said closuremember to effect movement of said catch portion of said catch member toits normal non-blocking position, and spring means cooperating with saidcatch member exerting pressure thereon to move it to its blockingposition, said catch member adapted to be moved to a non-blockingposition through pressure exerted thereon through contact with its catchportion when the closure member is in its open position.

5. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driverengaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retractingmovement, a closure member movably mounted on said head for opening andclosing movement to respectively open and close the forward side of saidstaple driving passage, a catch member pivotally mounted in said staplehead above said staple strip supporting means including a catch portionat one side of its pivotal axis normally disposed in spaced relationabove the staple strip supported upon said supporting means and adaptedthrough pivotal movement of said catch member in one direction to movein an arc forwardly into blocking engagement with said strip to blockthe forward movement thereof toward said staple driving passage, and acamming portion at the other side of its pivotal axis, catch actuatingmeans carried by said movable closure member engaged with said cammingportion adapted through the opening movement thereof to effect forwardmovement of said catch portion of said catch member to blocking positionand to positively block further forward movement, said catch actuatingmeans adapted through closing movement of said closure member to effectmovement of said catch portion of said catch member to its normalnon-blocking position, and spring means cooperating with said catchmember exerting pressure thereon to yieldably engage said cammingportion with said catch actuating means,

said catch member adapted to be moved to nonblocking positionindependently of movement of said closure member through pressureexerted thereon through contact with its catch portion when the closuremember is in its open position.

6. In a stapling device, a staple driving head including a stapledriving passage and staple strip supporting means adapted to guideindividual staples of a staple strip into said passage, a staple driverengaged in said passage for reciprocatory staple driving and retractingmovement, a staple driver actuating lever engaged with said stapledriver and projecting forwardly therefrom, a closure member movablymounted on said head for reciprocatory opening and closing movement torespectively open and close the forward side of said staple drivingpassage, and having a slot engaged by the forwardly projecting end ofsaid lever, a catch member pivotally mounted in said staple head abovesaid staple strip supporting means including a catch portion normallydisposed in spaced relation above the staple strip supported upon saidsupporting means and adapt-. ed through pivotal movement ofsaid catchmember to move into blocking engagement with such strip to block theforward movement thereof toward said staple driving passage, and meanscarried by said movable closure member adapted through the openingmovement thereof to effect movement of said catch member to blockingposition and through closing movement to efiect movement of said catchmember to its normal non-blocking position, said closure member slotlimiting the opening movement of said closure member through abutment ofits lower end with said lever and the staple driving movement of saidlever adapted to move said closure member to its closed position;

MAX VOGEL.

